New SCUBA Park in N Va. - Check it out and get involved

[morenof]

Divearium.com | Transforming the quarry/lake dive experience

 

[mheaster]

OK, I'll bite!

What is your affiliation with the Scuba Shack in Fredericksburg? I thought they were the operating agents for this Quarry?

 

[Steve_C]

I have to wonder about any quarry that would have manta rays, sharks, and coral pictures selling their quarry

 

[divad]

It's sooo easy to be negative.

 

[bankyf]

The quarry is owned by the Silver Companies. Bill Micks from the Virginia Outdoor center may be a partner in the ownership, but he oversees the quarry in general. Any instructor/dive shop with their own insurance wishing to use the quarry for training would go through Bill Micks. Any individual diver wishing to dive in the quarry would need to contact the Scuba Shack(or possibly a few other dive shops) as they would have the insurance to cover individual divers. The VOC/Silver companies are not insured to run a scuba operation at the quarry. I do not believe this project has any direct ties to the Scuba Shack.

OK, I'll bite!
What is your affiliation with the Scuba Shack in Fredericksburg? I thought they were the operating agents for this Quarry?

 

[DennisC]

I guess the Idea is cool. It will be interesting to see how it turns out

 

[tursiops]

However it turns out, the water will still only be 35 feet deep, and the location is south of Fredericksburg, which means it is past some of the worst traffic in N.VA. if you live in the DC area. Also, with no training platforms, teaching there might be tough. And AOW will be impossible, of course. Still, it will be interesting to see what happens. I'll really be curious if the "cave" will allow for any Cavern training.

 

[mheaster]

OK, Thanks for the clarification Bankyf!

I have made a couple of dives there and would likely go back and check it out if this materializes, but then again I'll dive a mud-puddle if it looks the least bit interesting!

 

[AIRdoesWork]

The 9.78 acre property in which the quarry sits is directly owned by Larry Silver, and he has verbally stated his willingness to sell it "for the right price". That property is part of an easement that is slated for the development of an EcoTourism Center that has been a long-held desire of Silver's, but he may be willing to sell it if the money is right and a commercially viable business can be developed. The Divearium project is currently seeking investors toward that goal. If the facility does not materialize on that particular property, the trademarked Divearium is transplantable, and there is another potential area being considered. If Silver recognizes the huge diving market in the area and agrees to give the unique project a shot on that piece of property, the platforms currently there will remain for entry level training, but most of the submerged items will be removed and replaced by numerous aquascapes and a cave, creating an underwater "theme park"/museum environment not found in any other inland lake or quarry in the U.S., maybe even the world.

---------- Post added April 8th, 2014 at 06:44 AM ----------

I have to wonder about any quarry that would have manta rays, sharks, and coral pictures selling their quarry

That would be a huge improvement over cars, a bus, computers, etc.

 

[offthewall1]

KB Diver Services Inc. of Baltimore has an interest in learning more about the project.